Leonalim.com

It seems Malaysia’s transport department has decided to introduce a new defensive driving curriculum for learner drivers. My first reaction to the news was, how will this help the current situation. Is this really tackling the root problem? After been through the curriculum myself last year, I found it quite complete already. I don’t think that is the cause of accidents and terrible drivers on the road. For me, it’s back down to corruption. 90% of people I took the driving tests with paid the officials extra money to get a ‘guaranteed’ license. With so many of these who didn’t fulfill the standards of the current curriculum and yet are already drivers on the road, it’s no wonder accidents happen.

By allowing corruption in the first place, the Transport Department is already teaching drivers to lower their moral standard, especially their moral when on the road. This leads to careless driving, selfish driving, road bullies and more. For example, some one who runs the red light didn’t care about cars on the other side who could crash into them, and they’re probably thinking they can always bribe if caught. What’s a little money to them? They already paid much to get the license in the first place.

Therefore, I find the root problem is getting rid of corrupted officials, especially the heads first. And it’s no use if the government promise judgment and yet don’t carry it out, this only makes offenders more daring and get worse.